Electric iron construction



April 19, 1932 R. B. BENJAMIN 1,854,538

ELECTRIC IRON CONSTRUCTION l Filed July l2, 1929 3 Shee'ts-Sheeh 1 es 64,7%? 4Z 19 April 1.9 1932. R. B. BENJAMIN y ,854,538

' ELECTRIC IRON CONSTRUCTION Filed July l2, 1929` 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m nii Y;

il :I l .Uil .ne f4 --f l v- I April 19, 1932- R. B. BENJAMIN 1,854,538

ELECTRIC IRON CONSTRUCTION Filed July 12, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented' Ap 19, 1932 UNITED STATI-:s PATENT oFi-f'lc` E EUBEN B. -BENAMIN, OF CHICAGQ, LLINOS, ASBIGNOR T@ BEJSTJJSEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING- COMPANY, 0F CDES ILLINoIs PLINES, ILLINIS, COBPDRLION 0F -.Application lel Jui? 12,

My invention relates to electric iron construction.

l@ne of the objects of my invention is to provide a thermostatic controi or the heating element of the type in which the switch mechanism is located in the hancle which will be positive and accurate in action,

i :further object is toprovifle .such a conu struction in which the positiveness an curacy is secured by theuse a th' rnios element oi'i the extensible tyge tinguisiieci-roni the ienible type5 i further object is to 1urcwiie t static control or" the type in 'vv ich mechanism is iocatefi in a "fbi require a reiatively small amount c; Wer to be clone by the thermostatic element to eieci. the operation o the sfr/'itchiu further object is to provicle a construction of the type inicated above in 'which the ease of operation is attributable to an easily operated latch controlled by the thermostatic element.

A further object of Iny invention is to pro vide a thermostatic control for a switch lo cated in the handle of the iron in which improved antifriction means are providecl for guiding the switch-operating member and assisting to retain it in on position.

Further objects Will appear from the flescription and claims.

In the drawings, in which an embodiment of my invention is shown- Figure 1 is a side elevation oan electric iron embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 isla front vievvl of the iron; *f

Fig. 4f is a section on the line H of Fig., 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the same plane as Fig. 2 showing the switch in 0E position;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 oiFig. i;

Figi 7 is a section on the line ',7-7 of Fig. 5 and i Fig. 8 is a perspective View o a earn for determining the temperature at which the switch xviii bernoved to o position.,

Referring to the drawings in tiet-ail, the construction shown comprises an electric iron having a body portion 1 containing the heating element 2, a handle 3 oie. insulating mateieee rial7 L thermostatic svi/itch construction or controhng the circuit :for the heating element 2 comprising a switch blacle 1, a blae-shi'ftingspring o, a spring-shifting bar 6 mounte in ianflle 3 for iongituclinal movement q coil tension spring tending to pull ing-s'ning bar 6 to t Ae left as viewer?.

i n a notch in said spring-shifting bar 6 to assist innig said s1 ringsbiting bar 6 against len latcheol to guicie it in canse the en i tion ie oar 6 to travei in a .t u latch i0 siii spring-shifting bar o which, when in ng position, serves to resist nieve-nie oi bar verticaliy, nie-ans fior shifting the roller 8 with respect to the latch 1G to vary the point of relation ci the springshiiting bar 6 comprising a rotatable cani 11,

and atherinostatic element comprising a heat extensible bar 12 lying substantially in aV horizontal piane and havin an actuating i portion 13 movable substantially in a horizontal plane for controlling the latch 10.

Before describing the construction in detail l will briey outline the operation. The current is supplied to the separable connector member 14: by means of suitable conductors, vnot shown. 1f the switch is in the position shown in Fig` 5, the spring-shifting bar 6 is pushed to the right by means of the push button 15 until the roller 8 enters the notch Qin the lower edge of the bar, the upper end of the hooked latch member 10 being shifted slightly to the right during this movement until the catch portion 16 on the bar 6 slips underneath thehoolr portion 17 on the1 latch 10 whereupon the coil compression spring 18 causes the latch 10 to snap to the leiit to bring the hook portion 1'? above the catch portion 16 to retain the spring-shifting bar 6 in latch-eci position. This movement of the spring-shifting bar 6 to the right moves the cnet oi the bladeshifting spring 5 to the right past the dead center of the switch blade i causing switch blade to snap in position between the separated contacts 19 This movement of substantially vertical componentj fifi LQ hereby the ining portion wiil the switch to on osition causes current to be sup lied to the eating element 2 of the iron. s the iron heats u ,the left-hand end 13 of the heat extensible bar 12 moves to the left causing the latch 10 to move about lts pivot 20 until the hook 17 at the upper end of the latch disengages the catch 16 0n the spring-shifting bar 6. Thereu on the sprmgshifting bar 6 snaps to the eft under the action ofthe coil tension spring 7 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Durin this movement the lower end of the b ade-shiftmg spring 5 is again moved past the dead center of the switch blade causing the swltch blade to move out from between the spacedcontact members 19 to break the circuit with a snap movement.

f'ffi'If the action of the blade-shifting spring 5 should not be suicient to free the switch blade 4 at once from the spaced contacts the lug 21 on the spring-shifting bar 6 will strike the blade-shifting spring 5 giving it a quick impetus which will quickly free the swltch blade 4 from engagement with spaced contacts 19.

As the user continues to use the iron, it will gradually cool down causing the left-hand end 130i 'the heat extensible bar 12 to move to the right. This movement of the end 13 of the heat extensible bar 12 to the right permits the upper end of the latch '10 to move to the left under the action of the coil compression spring 18. As soon as the iron has cooled down to a point below which it would not do good work the user again operates the push button 15 to push the spring-shifting bar 6 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 2, during which movement the latch member 10 will again engage the catch member 16 to hold the switch in on position until it is again released by the action of the heat extensible bar 12.

In order to vary the point of release of the spring-shifting ,switch controlling member 6 the retaining roller 8 is movably mounted on a spring bracket 22, the osition of which spring bracket 22 is contro led by a rotatable face cam 11. This cam, as shown, determines 3 positions forsthe retaining roller 8 corresponding to high temperature, medium temperature and low temperature. The farther the retaining roller 8 is to the ri ht, as viewed in Fig. 5, the greater will be t e movement of the latch 10 necessary to release the switchcontrolling bar 6 and the higher will have to be the temperature of the iron before this release is eected. Consequently, the high spot` 23 on the cam corresponds to the high temperature for release, the two intermediate portionsl24 of the cam corres onding to the medium temperature and the ow portion 25 of the cam corresponding to the low temperature. This cam is rotatably mounted in the front standard 26 or handle support and is operated by means of a thumb piece 27 having indicia 28 thereon to indicate the degree of temperature at which the switch will be released.

In order to enable a factory adjustment to be made the catch member 16 on the switch controllin bar 6 is adjustabl mounted on this bar 6 y-means of a pair o screws 28 extending through slots in this catch member and threaded into the switch controlling bar. This catch member 16 is set at the proper osition at the factory and is not therea ter to be disturbed by the user, the adjustment by the user being effected by means yof the thumb piece 27. It may sometimes be desirable to release the switch controlling barl 6 without waiting for the thermostatlc means to effect this release and for this purpose I provide a lever 29 (Figs. 5, 6 and 7) pivotally mounted at 30 on the lower half of the insulating handle 3 havingy one arm extending in position to engage the upper end of the latch lever 10 and havingits other end extending out beyond the contour of the handle, as shown in Fig. 6, in a position for convenient operation by the thumb of the user. To release the latch manually this extended portion 31 of the lever is passed inwardly by the thumb pushing the upper-end of the latch 10 to the right as viewed in Fig. 5 to release the catch member and permit the spring to throw the switch to olf position.

The two halves of the handle may be held together by means of screws 32 extending through the handle support-s 26 and 33, these screws 32 thus serving also to secure the handle to these supports. The right-hand end of the switch-actuating bar 6 is held in proper position and guided in its movement by means of a roller 34 with which the upper edge of the right-hand end of the switch-controlling bar 6 engages. The movementof this switchcontrolling bar to the left may be limited by the engagement of the upward extension 35 of the bar 6 with the roller 34.

The latch lever 10 may be pivotally mounted at 20 on a supporting bracket 36 secured to the body portion of the iron. The spring 5 which serves as a blade-shifting spring also serves to hold the right-hand end of the spring-controlling bar 6 in engagement with the roller 34.

While I have shown but one form of my invention, various forms will be obvious to those skilled in the art and consequently this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

I claim: v

1. .An electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle and thermostatic switch construction for controlling the circuit comprising a switch blade, a blade-shifting member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring acting on said blade-shifting member, a latch for holding lao static element comprising a heat extensible elongated member lying substantially in a horizontal plane and having an actuating portion movable substantially in a horizontal plane for'controllin g said latch, said latch comprising an oscillatable member extending from said heat extensible member to said4V f blade-shifting member and pivotally mounted at a point between said' heat extensible member and blade-shifting member.

2. An electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle and thermostatic switch construction for controlling the circuit comprising a switch blade, a bladeshifting member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle,.an actuating spring acting on said bladeshiting member, and thermostatic controlling means whereby said blade-shifting mem'- ber is released for movement, and means for guiding a portion of said blade-shiting member so that'when released it must move initially in a direction having a substantial vertical component, said guide means comprising a roller, said blade-shifting member having an abutment portion engaging said Y roller.

or: ur.)

` said blade-shifting member, and thermostatic controlling means whereby said bladeshiiting member is released `for movement, and means for guiding portion of said blade-shitting member so that when released it must move initially in a direction having a substantial vertical component, said guide means comprising a roller, said blade-shifting member having an abutment portion engaging said roller, said roller being a l tably mounted to vary tbe point or release or tbe blade-shitting membere Ll. ein electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle l thermostatic switch constructior n r c ling the circuit comprising a a blade-shifting member eral longitudinal movement said handle, an actuating :frinw said blade-shifting mei-no s static controlling means vvlierefoy s shifting member is released for :novem and means 'for guiding a portion or blade-shifting member so that ivi u. rel ed it must move initially in a direction a substantial vertical component, said guide means comprising a roller, said blade-shifting member haidng an abutment portion engaging said; roller, said guide means being adjustably mounted to vary the point of release of the'blade-shifting member.

5. An electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle and thermostatic switch construction for controlling the circuit comprising a switch blade,

a blade-shifting member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring acting on said blade-shifting member, and thermostatic controlling means whereby said bladeshifting member is released for movement, and means for guiding a portion of said blade-shifting member so that when released it must move initially in a direction having a substantial vertical component, said thermostatic controllinof means comprising a latch which in latching position serves to resist said initial vertical movement.

6; Lln electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle and thermostatic switch construction for controlling the circuit comprising a switch blade, a blade-shifting member mounted 'for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring acting on said blade-shifting member, and thermostatic controlling means 'whereby said blade-shifting member is released for movement, and means for guiding a portion of said bladeshifting member so that when released it must move initially in a direction having a substantial vertical component, said thermostatic controlling means comprising a latch which in latch-ing position serves to resist said initial vertical movement, and manual means Jor releasing said latch independently oi the action of the tliermostatic means '7. in electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated `handle and thermostatic switch construction for controlling the circuit comprising a switch blade, a blade-shifting member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring on said blade-shifting member, a latcli for holding said blade-shitting member against 'the action or" said actuating spring, and a tnermostatic element comprising a heat extensible elongated member substantially in a' ont-al plane and having an actuating atie substantially in a horizoncontroliing said latch, said latch "n oscillatable member entendno; Y ily mountsa "neat extensible ng member, a' d s, supporting the iandle on tbe secured scent one endoi3 the said oscillatable member extending alongside and adi acont' said supporting member.,

8. in electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle, and

a thermostatic switch construction for `controlling the circuit comprising a contactcontrolling member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring acting on said circuit-controlling member, and thermostaic controlling means whereby said controlling member is released for movement, and means for guiding a portion of said circuit-controlling member so that when released it must move initiall in a substantially circula/r path, said guide means comprising a roller, said circuit-controlling member having an abutment portion engaging said roller.

9. An electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle, and a thermostatic switch construction for controlling tlie circuit comprising a contactcontrolling member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring acting on said circuit-controlling member, and thermostatic controlling means wherebysaid controlling member is released for movement, and means for guldmg a. portion of said circult-controlling member so that when released it\ must move initially in a .substantially circular path, said guide means comprising a roller, said circuit-controlling member having an abutment portion engaging said roller, said roller being adjustably mounted to vari)7 the point of release of said contact-contr t ling member.

10. An electric iron construction comprising a body portion, an elongated handle, and a thermostatic switch construction. for controlling the circuit comprising a contactcontrolling member mounted for general longitudinal movement with respect to said handle, an actuating spring acting on said circuit-controlling member, and thermostatic controlling means whereby said controlling member is released for movement, and means for guiding a portion of said circuitcontrolling member so that when released it must move initially in a direction having a' substantial vertical component, said guide means being adjustably mounted to vary the point of release of said contact-controlling member.

11. An electric iron construction comprisment of said engaging portion will have a substantial vertical component, a latch for said spring-shifting'bar which when in latchin'g position serves to resist movement of the bar having'a substantial vertical component, means for shifting said roller with respect to said latch to vary the point of release of the spring-shifting member, comprising a rotatable cam, a thermostatic element comprising a heat extensible bar 1 ing substantially in a horizontal plane and avm an actuating portion movable'substantialy' in a horizontal plane for controlling said latch, said latch comprising an oscillatable member extending from said heat extensible member to said spring-shifting member and pivotally mounted at a point between said heat extensible member and sprin -shifting member.

In witness whereof. have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN.

ing a body portion, an elongated handle, a v thermostatic switch construction for controlling the circuit comprising a switch A blade, a blade-shifting spring, a springshifting bar mounted in said handle for general longitudinal movemen with respect thereto, an actuatin spring acting on said spring-shifting mem r, a roller for engaging said spring-shiftinlbar to assist in retaining saidsprin -s 'fting bar against movement when latc ed andV to guide it in its movement when released, to cause the engaging portion of the bar to travel in a substantially circular path whereby the initial move-` 

